Airlines, Miles and Points

Airlines, miles, and points is the most popular topic at Australian Frequent Flyer. In this category, we provide expert tips, insider tricks, and facilitate discussions about Qantas, Virgin Australia, non-Australian airlines, and global airline alliances. From earning and redeeming frequent flyer points to maximising elite status benefits, we aim to help you get the most out of your travel. We also cover every step of the journey – from planning and booking flights to experiencing the flight itself, and finally, arriving at your destination. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or just starting to explore the world of frequent flyer programs, you'll find valuable advice to elevate your travel experience. See below for articles on airlines, miles and points.

Transfer Virgin Velocity Points for Maximum Value

If you’ve accumulated a stockpile of Virgin Velocity points, you don’t just have to redeem them on Virgin Australia flights! Velocity points can also be transferred across to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program. So, how does this work exactly, and what are the benefits of transferring? As long as you have an account with both … Continued

10 Sep 2015 Virgin Australia

Platinum Perks Whittled Away

It’s not that long ago that Qantas Platinum status came with the “ultimate” in perks. No expense was to be spared for the airline’s valuable Platinum members. But with Platinum One (and Chairman’s Lounge) members now trumping Platinum members, combined with a seemingly never-ending cycle of devaluations and cost-cutting, some members feel that their Platinum … Continued

5 Sep 2015 Qantas

Qantas Loyalty a One-Way Street?

After many years of loyalty to the flying kangaroo, one dissatisfied member feels that Qantas has failed to return the favour. This member has held Platinum status for over a decade, but had to put overseas travel on hold for a year due to the birth of a child. Qantas does not allow members to … Continued

3 Sep 2015 Qantas

Qantas/China Eastern partnership given green light

A new partnership between Qantas and China Eastern Airlines has been approved by the ACCC. The joint venture means that Qantas’ relationship with China Eastern will be akin to the much-touted partnership with Emirates. Qantas and China Eastern flyers will receive reciprocal benefits when flying on either airline including lounge access, other status privileges such … Continued

31 Aug 2015 Qantas

Virgin Reward Seat Availability Slashed

Despite a reputation of superior reward seat availability, it seems Virgin Australia has drastically slashed frequent flyer redemption flights made available to the USA. Significantly fewer reward seats, particularly in premium cabins are now being released, leaving Velocity Frequent Flyer members frustrated. It has not traditionally been difficult to find reward seats on Virgin Australia … Continued

29 Aug 2015 Virgin Australia

Upgrading 101: Fly Business Class on Points

This week our members explain the ins & outs of using frequent flyer points to enjoy the luxury of Business Class. There are two different methods; the first being to buy an economy class seat and request a points upgrade to business class afterwards. The second method is to book a business reward seat outright … Continued

Premium Economy: Worth the extra cost?

The concept of Premium Economy is reasonably simple. The cabin provides a middle-ground, offering discerning customers greater comfort than traditional economy class at a price below that of Business class. But, what benefits do Premium Economy passengers receive exactly, and do they justify the extra cost over regular economy? I may need to do a … Continued

Qantas announces bumper profit, 787 orders

Brand new Boeing 787 aircraft will be added to the flying kangaroo’s international fleet from 2017. This is just one piece of good news to come from the Qantas full-year financial results, announced last week. Following consecutive losses and a lengthy restructuring program, Qantas also announced a large profit. It seems that our national airline … Continued

24 Aug 2015 Qantas

Qantas Compensation Lottery

This week our members discuss the compensation received from Qantas after their flight was ruined by defective on-board equipment. Issues warranting compensation on recent flights range from faulty in-flight entertainment systems to broken seats; and the compensation received varied from a few thousand points to many hundreds of dollars. Although most passengers would prefer that … Continued

20 Aug 2015 Qantas

Conquering a fear of flying

For many, flying is a joy and a privilege. But for nervous flyers, the experience could be completely different. Just the thought of stepping foot in a plane can make some travellers very nervous. One AFF member seeks advice on how to overcome their fear of flying ahead of a trip to the United States. … Continued

18 Aug 2015 The Journey
Defunct Tigerair Loses its Roar

Tigerair takes over Virgin’s Bali flights

Virgin Australia will cease operating most of their flights to South-East Asia from next March. Virgin will withdraw entirely from the Perth-Phuket route, while three of the airline’s flights to Bali will be handed over to low-cost subsidiary Tigerair. Virgin will provide Tigerair with three Boeing 737 narrow-body aircraft to operate the flights between Bali … Continued

17 Aug 2015 Virgin Australia

Our Frequent Flyer Millionaire!

A new member has managed to accumulate more than half a million frequent flyer points in just four months since joining AFF! It’s a staggering achievement, but perhaps even more surprising is how easy it was for our member to achieve their impressive new points balance. Our member has not been accumulating miles by flying … Continued